You Won't Be Lonely
by Creatureofthedark
Summary: Giant turtles?C’mon.And if that’s not bad enough.Some even say they’re ninja turtles.Wow.Okay.Some people need to get a life.I mean…there is no way.I’ve walked the streets of this stupid city for a year now.No sign of giant ninja turtles.None.Zero.Zilch..
1. Chapter 1

**alright. i was bored one day when i didn't have my notebook with my other stories or my computer, so i started this one. Lee's POV. it's gonna be a pretty short story, but that's what it's supposed to be. just a little backtracking. okay. a lot. about 3 years. he he. **

**Ch. 1**

I hate the world. And everyone in it. I hate the snobbish rich people. Who go home to their huge snobbish houses, drive their beautiful snobbish cars, and are only friends with other snobbish people who have just as much or more money than them. Stupid snobbish people.

I hate the scary people on the streets. The people who live in scary ally ways, hang out at scary bars, and talk to other scary people like them. The scary people scare me. I guess that's why they're called scary. Anyway, no matter how long you've been around them, they always scare you. With their scary eyes, looks, and actions. I hate them. And the snobbish people.

I hate the average people. People that have a perfect little job, go home to their perfect little house, their perfect little family, and drive their perfect little cars. The people who try to help the poor, while trying to get rich themselves. They have a perfect little life, but they want more money.

I hate money. Money is the reason I'm on the streets right now. My parents were killed because of money. Some stupid snobbish rich guy hired some stupid scary street guy to kill my stupid average family. My parents rather. Why? Because he _thought_ they had cheated at his casino. He had no proof. There _was_ no proof. It didn't happen. But he killed them anyway.

My stupid average parents weren't happy with their perfect little life, their perfect little family. Their perfect little care or house. Or me. No. They wanted more. They wanted to be rich. To have the big snobbish house. The beautiful snobbish car. The whole package deal.

That's why I'm on the streets. I have no living relatives. Not ones I know anyway. My family isn't close. They're all in different states. There's a history of heart attacks in my family. Obviously not in me, or I would have been dead a long time ago. I didn't want to live with some stupid foster couple, so I ran away. It was that simple for me. I'm doing just fine on my own right now. I'm alive. And not starving.

I left that night. I woke to gun shots. I layed in bed, waiting until I heard the intruder leave. He came to do his job. He didn't steal anything, or even look for someone else. Me. No. He came, took out my parents, and left. He left to collect his money. That's something to get paid for. Killing someone. How could he live with himself? I hate people. I can't understand them.

I ran to my parent's room to find them dead. I called the police, packed my bags, and left. I knew where my parents kept the extra money. I took that and the money the brought home from their trip and left. I set out on my own, the sirens going past me and fading away as I walked. I left home at 12 years old. And never looked back.

I am now 15. I've been living fine on the streets for 3 years. I have money from odd jobs and things, including some from home. I never let anyone know I have money. I buy food when I'm hungry. New clothes when I need them. Not a dollar is spent for something I don't need. Every once in a while, I'll see a movie to stay out of the rain or for a change from routine. Other than that, I pay for nothing but for what keeps me alive. Simple life really.

Only my closest friend knows I'm alive. I write her letters, keeping in touch. I have slowly moved away from anywhere near home. She keeps my secret. Everyone else thinks I'm dead. Our letters are getting shorter and less frequent, but she told me one day that the police had found the man who killed my parents. But not the one who had hired him. I hate the police. They're stupid.

As I said. I hate the world and everyone in it. The stupid people with their stupid rumors and stories. Yeah. The stupid rumors of alligators in the sewers, or even a few crazy, scary, ally men who talk about the giant turtles. Ha. That's the worst one.

Giant turtles? C'mon. And if that's not bad enough. Some even say they're ninja turtles. Wow. Okay. Some people need to get a life. I mean… there is no way. I've walked the streets of this stupid city for a year now. No sign of giant ninja turtles. None. Zero. Zilch. Nada. People are crazy. They're stupid. I hate them.

If there are giant ninja turtles in New York, I would have seen them. Even if there are some, I don't see why people are afraid. There have been no reasons to be scared. I would want to meet them. I'm tired of people. They're stupid. Maybe turtles would be better. Ha ha. I don't know.

The only downfall of living on the streets is loneliness. No matter how much I hate people, I still get lonely. I want someone to talk to. Someone to tell my story to. Even someone to comfort me. I want someone to play around with, to teach me things… someone… to love me.

There's the truth. I want to be loved. I want someone who will tell me it's okay when I have nightmares. Yes, I have nightmares. I remember the night of my parents death one night, dream of being attacked by street guys another. Sometimes I'm even too scared to go to sleep. I don't want to dream.

I want someone to love me, even through my ragged appearance. I'm not pretty. I am definitely not pretty. People used to say they liked my hair just because it's blonde. It's boring though. It never does anything but lay straight. My eyes are a boring grey, and my face is nothing special. I am skinny, and in very good shape, but none of these things make me pretty. That is why I am always alone. No one sees a small insignificant girl in the streets.

I may not think I'm pretty, but I'm not stupid. I wear tan kaki pants to hide my figure. I wear a black t-shirt that's a little too tight for my liking, but I always cover it up with a black or grey jacket or hoodie depending on the temperature that day. I don't wear anything less. I'm smart enough to know that that's dangerous. Even if you're not pretty.

Yeah. Okay. Maybe I'm afraid. I'm afraid of men. Mostly the stupid scary street guys you hear stories of. Attacking girls in alleyways. People finding the girl dead, or emotionally broken. I won't go into details I've heard, but the truth is… I _am_ scared. That's another reason I want someone. Someone to protect me.

I try to stay out of dark alleyways at night, but sometimes you don't have a choice. Sometimes I need to get through. I'm a nervous wreck the whole time I'm there. I'm a 15 year old girl, alone on the streets that no one would miss. Yeah. You could say I have a reason to be scared.

Okay. Maybe there are a few reasons living on the streets is less than perfect. Fear, pain, loneliness. I mean… other than that it's fine. 3 years and I'm still alive. I'm street-smart. I know the ways of survival pretty well after 3 years. I even know how to fight thanks to a friend.

Yeah. One day I met this guy. He was probably 18. I never asked. Anyway, the only reason I trusted him was because he came out of a church. I went to church a few times with a friend, and I knew most of those guys could be trusted. Notice I said _most_.

Anyhow, he saw me sitting on a short brick wall that was around the church and cam to talk to me. He figured I lived on the streets from my backpack and appearance. He asked why. I didn't feel a connection with him, so I just told him I didn't want to tell him my story.

He accepted that. He was really nice and offered me money, but I told him I had some. It took a lot of convincing, but I finally settled on letting him teach me to fight. He stopped bugging me after that. So, he started teaching me basic defense. I learned fast. I can take pretty good care of myself now.

I have been less afraid after that, but between reality and the nightmares that have started recently, I'm getting a little nervous. I had stayed around his area for a week, but wanted to move on after a while. He understood and let me go, wishing me good luck. We had hugged (lightly) and separated. I still miss his company.

So that's my background. You know me now. That's me in a nutshell. I walk the streets day in, day out, doing whatever it takes to stay alive. I avoid scary people and stay near a crowd. I walk the streets, waiting for the day I get a life.

I wait for the day I meet someone who loves me for me. Who will love me, protect me, tell me it's okay when I have nightmares, and tell me I'm beautiful no matter how much I'm not. It's a long shot, but it could happen.

By the way… my name is Lee.


	2. Chapter 2

**yep. chapter 2 already. more into the story.**

**Ch. 2**

No one pays attention to the lone girl walking the streets. It's been the same thing for 3 years now. I'm used to it. I weave through the crowd easily. After so long on the streets, I'm getting pretty good at getting where I want to go.

Every day's the same. Getting through the people on the streets. Stopping to eat or rest. Always moving. I never stay in the same place for long. I've stayed here longer than other places. I'm getting tired of moving from place to place.

I get out of the crowd, and head toward a park. I shift the backpack on my shoulder before it slides off. I slow down as I leave the crowd of people, relaxing and walking at my own pace. I pull up the sleeves of my black jacket. It's warm today, but I don't feel like changing. I'll just have to change back when it gets dark to stay warm.

I walk through the park, just like every other day. I sit down on the same bench, by the same pond, in the same park, doing the same thing. Thinking. I lean against my backpack, thinking of whatever comes to mind. Today, my mind is blank.

My eyes droop as I watch people pass by, going on with their lives, not paying attention to me. To anything else. I watch the park become empty as it gets darker. I fall asleep as the sun sets.

Jerking to an upright position, I gasp for breath. A few tears of fear stream down my face. I pull my legs up to my chest and hug my knees. Laying my head on my knees, I think about the dream I've been having.

I've been having the same dream for a month now. It keeps me awake some nights, not wanting to go to sleep. Knowing I'm alone. It's not good to be sleep deprived when you live on the streets. You start to hear or see things. That's what makes me get up now. I could swear I saw someone walking in the shadows not too far away.

I get my backpack, pull down my jacket sleeves, and pull up the hood on my jacket. I start to walk. Not too fast to seem suspicious, but fast enough. Not only sleep deprived, but haunted by the dream, I am very jumpy right now.

I start to think about the dream. If I keep having it, it must be telling me something. Okay. Some scary street guy attacks me. I can protect myself. I can beat him back. Can't I? As I think, I turn down an ally, not paying attention. I walk a little ways before I notice that it's a dead end. Oops. Wait. This looks familiar.

I turn around and start walking out. I take no more than two steps before I stop. Three men step out of the shadows. I get a flash from my dream. _Three men step out of the shadows. _I look at them. It's the same guys!

The man in the middle steps forward. I don't move, not wanting to show my fear. The man, obviously the leader, grins evilly down at me. "Well look'e here boys. A girl all alone. Nowhere to run, and no one to protect her." The men laugh as he smiles. "What do you think we should do with her?"

The men laugh as they walk toward me. I drop my backpack. "Well. Looks like we've got a fighter here." _You got that right. _He turns to me. "What're you gonna do? You're just a little girl all alone. You can't possibly beat us." _You wanna bet?_

I pull up my sleeves and push back my hood. "Look guys! I told you she was a blond!" I glare up at him with eyes that seem to knock the breath out of him. He looks down into my eyes and I study his reaction. They chill him to the bone. He second thinks himself. Then he talks. "Let's keep this one for a while."

The men laugh as the come at me. Their dark and sinister laughs echoing throughout the ally. They all come at me at once. I dodge them every time they come at me, their finger tips just missing me. I weave through them like I would a crowd. I see it starts to frustrate them.

They stop, breathing heavily as I just stare coldly at them. They're still blocking my exit. My heart beats crazily in my chest. It sounds like they should be able to hear it. I look the leader in the eye. I dare him to come after me again. To my surprise, he takes it. Great. The one time I _do_ get attacked, it's by someone determined to get to me.

He comes at me again, followed by the other two. I dodge the first one, then the second, but stop short when I turn to the leader. I stop just in time to keep a knife from stabbing me in my stomach. He cheated. My second of hesitation hurts me. One of the other men grab my jacket.

I am thrown to the ground. I use the force of the shove to roll to my feet to a crouch, facing them. The leader walks up to me. "I'm getting tired of this game." He puts a knife to my chin, pressuring me to my feet.

"What game?" Before I know what's going on, my head is thrown into a wall. My last thought before darkness takes me is: I hope the giant turtles eat him.

I wake up to voices. "Do you think she's okay?" one asks.

"She's fine. Just a bump on the head is all," another replies.

"Why did you bring her here?" another hisses.

"I couldn't just leave her out cold in the ally could I? Besides, she lived on the streets," yet another answers.

"You don't know that," the third one hisses back.

I get a headache and groan before I can suppress it. "Dude. She's waking up," the first voice says. I open my eyes to four turtles. Giant turtles. Looking at me.

"You okay?" the orange one asks. I recognize him as the first and last voice. Nice and caring.

"Yeah Mike. She got her head thrown into a brick wall and she's just fine," the red one replies. I recognize him as the fourth voice. Hides his concern with sarcasm.

"Cut it out guys," the blue one cuts in. He turns to the red one. "Quiet. With that attitude you'll scare her." I recognize him as the third voice. Protective.

The fourth looks to me. The purple one. He meets my eyes. "Hey. How do you feel?" They all look to me again.

I look to each of them as I slowly sit up. I put a hand to my head. "I have a headache," I answer the purple one.

He smiles at me. "That's understandable." Caretaker.

He studies me for a second. I glare at him. He may have saved my butt, but I don't like it when people try to figure me out. "What?" My voice was a little more hostile than I meant it to be.

The red one turns to me. "Hey. Cool it. He's just tryen to figure out why yer not freakin' out." Hmm. He has an attitude. I can play that game too.

"Sorry to disappoint you," I retort back. I do a double take. I could swear I just saw him smile. I look to the purple one. "Why would I freak out? You've given me no reason to freak."

"Freaking out is the reaction we usually get," the blue one answers. Leader.

"Not Casey," the red one replies.

The blue one nods. "We all know Casey is crazy," he replies.

"Whoah. Wait. Someone else knows about you?" I am now confused.

The blue one smiles. "Let me just tell you our story," the blue one replies. He tells me their story, starting with their names. I listen intently to everything he tells me. I am amazed at the news that they had a master. That was a rat. I know how they feel when he tells me that he died. He tells me of their friends Casey and April. He tells me everything down to the last detail.

When he's done, I lean back. "Wow." I look to each of them. I stop on the orange one. I try to match up the names again. "Michelangelo."

"Mikey," he replies.

"Mikey." He nods and I move on. I look to the purple one. "Donatello."

"Don," he replies.

"Don." He smiles and I move to the blue one. "Leonardo."

"You can call me Leo," he replies.

I nod. "Leo." He nods, smiling, and I look to the last one. The red one. "Raphael." He meets my eyes. A wave runs through me. I can see the same happens to him. Wow. What was that?

"Raph," he corrects me. Somewhat shaky.

I nod and lean back, trying to control my emotions that are swirling around in my head. And heart. Mikey notices my confusion.

"Going to freak out yet?"

I smile at him. "No. I think I'm good."

"Cool."

It's quiet for a moment as the let it all sink in. Then Leo turns to me. "So what about you? I'm sure you have a story."

I tell him my name and give him the 'my parents were killed so now I live in the streets' overview. I leave all of the emotional parts out. I'm not quite ready to open up yet. They all listen as intently as I had for them. They all sit back when I'm done.

Raph is giving me this look that says 'and I thought out story was hard to take in.' Leo replies to it like I had to them. "Wow." Mikey is thinking. Don turns to me.

"So you _do_ live on the streets?"

I shrug. "Yeah. 3 years now."

Mikey turns to me. "You could live with us." He looks at me with pleading eyes. I can instantly tell he's perfected the sappy puppy dog eyes. He probably uses them on his… brothers all the time.

I look at everyone. They all seem to like the idea. Especially Raph. When I look to him, he looks away, but I see the corner of a smile. It somewhat unnerves me. I look to Mikey. "I… can't. I don't stay anywhere long."

"Lee. We would love it if you would stay with us. You need a home, we have one. We even have an extra room." Leo smiles at me encouragingly.

"No, really. I can't."

Raph turn to me. "Hey. You can trust us. We won't hurt you, and no one else can hurt you with us. We have a safe place for you to stay. Take it." He seems to know exactly what's running through my mind.

Leo nods at me. I sigh. Then I smile. "Thanks." A smile breaks out on everyone's face. Except for Raph. But I can see it in his eyes.

I am suddenly in Mikey's arms. It takes all of my self control to not freak out. I don't like guys touching me. Well… he's not a guy, but close enough. "Welcome to the world's weirdest family," he says.

"Mike. Put her down," Raph says. It freaks me out how much he notices about me. I'm grateful though.

"Oops." Mike sets me down. I take a step back and calm myself.

I instinctively pull my sleeves down. I aim a small smile at Raph. He nods back. Leo notices my nervousness. "We aren't going to hurt you okay?"

I nod as I look around. "Where's my backpack?"

"Don't worry. I grabbed it for ya," Raph answers standing up. Wow. He's at least 6 inches taller than me. I'm 5'1". I'm guessing he's… 5'6", 5'7" maybe.

Don stands up. Not as tall, but still taller than me. "Your room will be next to Raph's. I'll make sure it's ready."

"Thanks," I mumble. Great. I'm sleeping in the room next to the biggest one. Good luck sleeping tonight.

Leo gets up. Okay. Raph's the tallest, then Leo, then Don, then Mikey. Leo smiles down at me. "You have free roam of the place. Just don't leave without one of us. You could get lost in the sewers."

I nod as Raph comes up to me. He hands me my backpack and I throw it over my shoulder. "Thanks." When he motions me to, I follow. We go up the stairs and walk down the hall of all the rooms.


	3. Chapter 3

**yeah. sorry again for not updating Honestly. i would if i could. hope this story will keep you till friday. he he. **

**Ch. 3**

Don walks toward us as we walk down the hall. "Your room's ready," he says.

I force myself to smile. He acknowledges it as he passes. Raph points to everyone's room, calling them off one by one. He opens the door to one. "This is yours." He steps back out of my way.

I walk in, shouldering me my backpack. I look around. It's a basic room. Bed, desk, the works. I let my bag slide off of my shoulder to my hand. I set it on the bed as I sit down and look around.

I look up to Raph, who is leaning on the door frame. He's looking around the room. "Feel free to make yourself at home. I'll call April and Casey later for you to meet them. Maybe April can take you shopping. I mean, for stuff for your room."

I smile up at him. "Thanks." I'm surprised to see him smile back.

"Next time you pick a fight with someone, it's best if there's only one."

That wipes away half of my fear of him. "_You_ were the one who saved me?"

He shrugs. "Yeah." He crosses his arms.

I think a moment. "Why?"

This surprises him. "_Why? _Because those guys were gonna…" He shivers. "I don't even wanna think about it."

"But… why would anyone fight for me? I'm nothing special." I fall back onto the bed with a sigh.

"You don't have to be special to be protected. Or cared for." He lets that sink in before continuing. "Besides, that's what we do. We fight for the ones who need saving."

"Wow. That sounds cool."

He laughs at that. "Whatever."

Leo comes to the door. He stops beside Raph. "Hey. Don called April. She said we should all come over. Do you want to Lee?"

I sit up. "Sure." I take out a clean jacket and switch out of the dirty one. I don't need a new shirt. I just bought this one this morning. I turn around to see Raph still in the doorway. This makes me uneasy. I glare at him. "Why are you still here?"

He holds up his hands dismissively and smiles. "I'm jus' waitin'." He steps back to let me out of my room.

I look up at him as I walk by. "For what?"

"You."

I can hear the laugh he's trying to hold in through his voice. "Am I _really_ that funny to you?"

He _does_ laugh at that. "I'm not laughin' at you."

"Then what _are_ you laughing at?"

"Nothin'. Jus'… relax."

I sigh. We are now walking out the door with the others. I make a mental map of the tunnels we take as we go through. I like to know where I am. We climb up into the streets. "It's still night?"

"Yeah," Leo answers. "We only come out at night." He leads the way to the roof.

"We're sorta like undercover mutant ninja turtle spies," Mikey chimes in. I laugh.

When we get to the roof, Leo turns to me. "Um… one of us will have to carry you. Unless you can jump the allies."

I walk up to the first gap. I judge the distance before turning and walking back to them. Looks simple enough. "You go first. I'll follow." Ha ha! Yep. Giving them a sense of nervousness. I can do this. But I want to see if they worry.

They look at me skeptically, but jump anyway. One at a time, right after one another, they jump. I study them, getting a feel for it. Before I start to run, I see Raph tense up like he's ready to jump after me at any second if I don't make it. Hmm. At least he cares.

I grin at him. Then I run. I get to the edge of the roof and leap. I land gracefully on the other side. Well… I would have if I hadn't run into Mikey. He pulls me into a bone crushing hug.

"That was awesome dude!" Then he lets me go. "Oops. I forgot."

I instinctively pull the sleeves of my jacket down. "S'okay Mikey." The second time isn't as bad, knowing he's a friend.

I turn to Leo. "Good enough for ya?"

He smiles down at me. "Let's go."

We move over the rooftops to April's house. Well, apartment. Raph watches me the entire way, as if I would just suddenly not make it all the way across. When we get there, we go through April's window.

I watch as April greets them all. Then they introduce me. April is so nice. We instantly connect. They tell her of tonight, and to my relief, keep my story to themselves. They only tell her that I'm living with them now because I lived on the streets. She accepts that without questions.

We go into her living room and talk. We eventually have a girl's day out shopping trip planned. I tell her I have money, but she insists on paying for any expensive stuff. As if I'll let her get anything expensive for me. I can tell immediately that I have made a new friend. Then Casey walks in.

Okay. I never expected him to be… well… what he is. He looks like a street guy. I mean… he's cute, but I learned a long time ago that I need to ignore that. He's… tall. He also looks very strong. I tense up as soon as he comes in.

Raph notices of course. He's sitting in the chair next to mine, and when he sees me go rigid, he touches my arm. Normally, I wouldn't have liked that, but right now, I know it's a friendly gesture. I turn to him. "Relax. He's a friend," he murmurs.

I nod. I'm vaguely aware of Leo introducing me. I turn to Casey to see a huge smile plastered across his face. I can't stay too nervous when I see that smile. I smile back some. Leo tells him the same things he told April. Only this time, he tells Casey about my touchyness.

He holds up his hands. "I am totally safe sweetheart. Any friend of theirs, is a friend of mine and therefore worth protecting. Not hurting." He notices my smile get bigger and holds out his hand. "You don't have to shake it."

My smile gets wider. "I'm good." I take his hand, and a wave goes through me. Not like the one from Raph. This one is different. I know that this one means we're going to be friends. That I can trust him.

I can tell he doesn't feel the wave, but I know it's one of those weird things about me. With Raph, it was different. He felt it too. I watch as Casey goes over to April. The two are obviously together. We talk for a little longer. I find out that Casey fights with sports equipment. Interesting weapon choices. He he.

I already love Casey. Not in _that_ kind of way. The 'you gotta love em' sorta thing. Anyway, I know Raph noticed that I was easy around Casey. He looks… jealous. I guess I understand that. I haven't acted this nice to him. I'll make it up to him later.

We leave through the window and head across the rooftops. We keep it at a run until we get to the last one. As they start to climb down, I look at the sky. It was almost time for the sun to come up.

Raph sits down against a wall. "You wanna wait for the sunrise?"

Mikey is waiting for me to come down. I turn to him as he says, "You can stay if you want Lee. Raph can bring you home."

Home. I turn to Raph. "Sure."

"Okay. See ya later guys," Mikey calls, climbing down.

I go and sit on the edge of the roof. I haven't seen the sunrise in a long time. I would either sleep through it or the buildings would block it. I had to stay and see this. Raph calls to me from where he's sitting. "I'd come and sit by you, but it's getting to light out. Someone could see."

I turn to him smiling. "If you want me to come sit by you, all you have to do is ask you know."

"No. I was just letting you know I wasn't avoiding you."

I laugh. "I know you aren't avoiding me. The way you've been watching me. As if I would decide to leave at any second."

He smiles. "Nah. Yer a new friend. I don't know how danger prone you are, so I jus' watch ta make sure."

I scowl and he grins. "I've lived on the streets for 3 years. I'd be dead. I'm not danger prone. Just nightmare ridden."

I turn back to the sky as his grin fades. "You have nightmares?"

I don't turn to him. "Yeah. So if you hear me at night, it's just a nightmare."

"I wouldn't say _just_ a nightmare. They're a bigger deal than you make 'em out ta be. Nightmares keep you awake at night'n make it so that ya don't want ta sleep. I hate 'em."

"Whatever. I'm just warning you."

Raph drops the subject when he hears the forceful tone of my voice. The sky begins to turn it's regular color as the sun rises higher. I stand up and turn to him. "Thanks for staying up here with me." We head back down to the sewers.

"No. Thanks for trustin' me."

I turn to him to see a huge smile on his face. I know that I just made up for earlier. "You're welcome."

We walk side by side towards home, using the time to get to know each other. By the time we get back, we've went through favorite colors, foods, movies, and everything to their birthdays. We get back the best of friends.

When we walk through the door, Mikey is on the couch watching T.V. "Hey guys!"

"Hey Mikey." I walk over and lean on the back of the couch to talk to him. Raph sits in a chair.

Mikey turns to me. "You look relaxed."

"Yeah. I guess I am." As Mikey turns back to the T.V. I look to Raph. I smile at him before going to my room. I sit on the bed and pick up my backpack. I'm not ready to empty it yet. There's not much in it, but I don't want to hope that this could be a permanent home. I look through my stuff and set it back on the floor. I lay down and think to myself, staring up at the sceling.


	4. Chapter 4

**yep. next chapter. i think i'll do Raph's POV sometime. it should be interesting. How's that sound?**

**Ch. 4**

I wake up in my bed, covered up, and my door closed. I didn't fall asleep in here. I get up and change. One of them must have carried me up here. That thought sends a shiver through me. I hope it was Raph. He's the only one who I would feel okay with carrying me. I am very close with him now.

I pick up my jacket after I get dressed. I look at it. And set it down. I look at myself in the mirror Don had given me. It's beautiful. Anyway, I study myself. I pick up my brush and brush my hair.

It's been a week since I came here. Me and April went shopping, and she got her way. I redecorated my room. I still haven't emptied my backpack, but I feel more at home. I leave my room hesitantly. This is the first time in a long time I've worn jeans and no jacket. I'm stepping out of my comfort zone.

I go downstairs. I hear the guys in the dojo and go to the door. I stand in the doorway and watch them as they train together. Just like every other day, I lean against the door frame and watch their every move.

My eyes are drawn to Raph. He is always the most forceful of the four. He goes hard and fast at his opponent. He relies on pure strength. Which he has. He looks more tired than the others. He must have been in here earlier. When he sees me, he stops and walks over.

I let my hair fall over my shoulders and into my face as I see him smile. Of course he notices my change in clothes. I look up at him when he stops in front of me to see him grinning down at me.

"So _that's _what you look like."

"Ha ha. Very funny."

Now Mikey runs up. "Dude! There _is_ a girl in there somewhere!"

"Hey!" I cross my arms.

He grins. "Can I hug you?" He opens his arms.

I look at his face, his eyes, and his arms. I know he won't hurt me. Not Mikey. Never. "Yeah."

Before I even get the word out, Mikey has me in his arms and is swinging me around. "Yes!" He sets me down after spinning me around.

I laugh at his enthusiasm. He runs past me as Leo and Don walk up. Leo smiles at me and puts a hand to my shoulder as he walks past. Don stops in front of me. He is smiling the biggest smile I've ever seen from him. Gotta love Donnie.

"You look like your settling in."

I smile back. "Yeah."

"Cool." He puts his hand to my shoulder as he passes like Leo did.

I turn to Raph. "You look tired."

"Nah. I'm fine." As we start walking, he hesitantly puts his arm around my shoulders. I smile to myself.

"Go ahead." I step closer to him as his arm falls heavily on my shoulders. I _know _that he's tired now. I hear him sigh. "Just don't be getting any ideas."

Okay. You might be wondering why I said that. Okay… I _do _like him. A lot. But I'm not even sure I'm really gonna stay. I don't want to get close to someone just to leave again. Also, I'm a person. People can't love turtles. Not in _that_ way. Well… maybe they _can_, but they _shouldn't. _Right?

I mean… it couldn't be normal. Could it? I don't know. I am so confused right now. About my life, my new friends, and my heart. So for right now, I'm just gonna make sure we stay friends. Okay? For a while anyway. Now, let's get back to reality.

Raph laughs. "Don't worry. It's just a _friend_ly gesture."

I smile, but I can hear the tiny hint of disappointment in his voice. I cringe inwardly. Just let me figure this out Raph.

"Anyway, I'm just glad you didn't freak out." He turns to me. "Thanks."

"Why?"

He grins. "I know I'm not the smallest of my brothers."

I smile up at him. "That just makes me feel even safer."

He tightens his arm around my shoulders in a hug for a second. "You know it."

* * *

It's been three weeks since I was rescued by Raph. My backpack still isn't unpacked, but I don't put things back in it much any more. Things are going good too. I feel more comfortable around everyone. Even Casey. Things are starting to click.

I don't wear a jacket anymore, unless I'm actually cold, I feel more at home, and almost anyone can hug me. I'm still iffy about Casey. We're getting there though. I've also started to work out with their stuff when they're gone. They won't let me do much when they're here.

I've gotten closer to all of them. I skateboard with Mikey, learn things from Don or help him with stuff, talk to Leo or meditate with him (Sometimes. When I'm tired.), and… everything with Raph. Whatever we feel like doing. Tonight, it's jumping allies.

Okay. So we were bored and decided we needed to do something. Who cares. Me and Raph do the most random things. I know Leo worries when we're topside alone, but he shouldn't. I've lived out here. I know that we're safe. Especially with Raph right next to me.

Raph turns to me as we head down the tunnels. "You look tired."

"I'm fine. Nice try though." I step closer and his arm goes around my shoulders. I _love_ that feeling. It makes me feel so safe. _He_ makes me feel safe. He's becoming my security… person. Ha. Can't exactly call him a security _blanket._

I let him have the first shower and I go to my room. I look at myself in my mirror. I look different. I'm wearing jeans and a red and black shirt layered over a long sleeved black one. I have my sleeves pulled up and my hair is brushed, straighter from the more often brushing. I look like a totally different person.

"You look different."

I turn to Leo standing in my doorway. I smile. "Yeah." I look back to the mirror. "I _feel_ different."

Leo walks up behind me as I look at both of us in the mirror. "Oh yeah? Why is that do you think?"

I think for a moment. "I guess it's because I have a reason to take care of myself. I have people who care for me. Who want me." I turn to him.

He smiles down at me. I open my arms and he gives me a hug. "Welcome to the family," he whispers to me.

I smile as he leaves the room, but on the inside, my heart is pounding. He said family. That wasn't the best idea. I close the door after him and change. I leave my room wearing kaki pants, a black shirt and jacket, and carrying my backpack filled with stuff.

I sneak through the lair and run through the sewers. I climb out and start walking. I pull my hood up and my sleeves down. I get as far as the park before I sit down. I sit on the bench I had sat on 3 weeks ago and think.

I had a family. And I lost it. I obviously wasn't supposed to have one. I move from place to place to keep from having another family. I want someone to love and love me, but I don't. I want a home, but I don't. I don't understand myself.

A tear of frustration slides down my cheek. Suddenly, someone is sitting next to me. I can't see their face. They're wearing a trench coat with the collar up and a hat. I'm about to take off running when he talks. "It's not safe being out her alone ya know."

I instantly relax. I would know that voice anywhere. "Nice. Give me a heart attack will ya. How did you find me so fast?"

"I saw ya sittin' out here the day ya got jumped before ya got up and they started followin' you."

"Oh."

He puts his arm around me. "Why'dya leave? You looked happy earlier."

I sigh. "I can't stay."

It's quiet for a moment before he speaks. "I get it. Yer one of those people who gets what they want before they freak out and leave, afraid it will jus' disappoint them or disappear. Right?"

I look up at him. "Wow. You are very perceptive when you wanna be."

He grins down at me. I look away. If I see that look, it will just make it harder to leave. He sighs. "Lee. C'mon. Don't leave. Please. We won't disappear. I can't promise you we won't disappoint you, but we'll _try _not to. Please Lee. All you're doing by runnin' away is hurting yourself. And… us. Don't leave."

_I know you won't disappoint me. You never could._

We sit there in silence for a few minutes. I know he's giving me time to think. After a while, he suddenly stands up. "If ya ever wanna come home, we'll be waitin' for ya."

I watch as he starts to walk away. Then it hits me. I want him. I want Leo, Don, Mikey, April, and even Casey. I want a family. I want a home. It's a different feeling when it's leaving you than when you're leaving it. I don't want to leave. I don't want him to leave without me.

"Raph wait!" He turns around as I stand up. I grab my bag and run to him. His arms open and I jump into them. "Is the offer still open?" I whisper.

"Always." He swings me around before he sets me down. "C'mon. Let's go home." I take his hand and we walk back home together.

He takes me to my room when we get home. "You can get a shower in the mornin'. You need ta sleep." When I refuse, he picks me up, puts me in my bed, and tucks me in. "Good. Night."

I sigh and he grins as he goes to the door. "Thank you," I whisper.

"Always," he answers. I can't see his face because of the light behind him, but I know he's smiling. He closes the door and I go to sleep, feeling at home for the first time in a very long time.


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay. Last chapter. yeah. This one's short. It's just to end things. but yeah. i was listening to a song when i thought of this. yep. i am a music fanatic. all of my stories have something to do with a song so far. but yeah. here it is.**

**Ch. 5**

I wake up gasping for breath. It's been 4 months since I was rescued by Raph. I've gone without a dream for 4 months. Now I have one again. I wake up yelling. I _know_ at least Raph heard that. I hope he isn't mad that I woke him. He never likes it when Mikey wakes him up.

I'm still catching my breath when Raph comes into my room. He pulls me close to him as he sits down. He waits for me to settle down as he rubs my arm. I take comfort in his presence. I wait for him to yell. When he doesn't, I know he won't. I guess I should've known better. From what he said about nightmares when we were up on the roof, he must understand.

I run my fingers over his hand as we sit here. He waits patiently for me to talk. I am very grateful for that. He always seems to understand me. Everything about me. It's like we're on the same frequency. The connection we felt on the first day. That... current it guess you could call it. Like the one I felt with Casey, but Casey didn't feel it. My mind is different and Casey was almost on my freakish brain's frequency. And Raph is. But it seems… he's also in tune with my heart. Yeah. I am just over all screwed. I can't hide anything from him.

This is why I eventually talk. "I feel so small." I look up at him. "That's why I get scared so easily." Why I'm so touchy. "I hated living on the streets. It was so dark and you never knew when someone would just decide to hurt you. Like when you came." I start to cry.

Raph puts his other hand on top of mine. "No matter how small you feel, I'll be there to protect you. Me and my brothers."

I look up at him. "What about Casey?"

"Casey too."

Feeling safe, I lean my head on his shoulder. He wraps his arm around me and, without hesitation, I crawl into his lap. I can tell he likes that, but it also makes me feel safer. More secure. Gosh I love his arms. There's no place I'd rather be right now than right here. In the arms of my closest friend. My strong protector.

We stay like that for a long time. "No matter what, I'll always be there for you," is the last thing I hear before I fall asleep in his arms.

* * *

I feel like a totally different parson in the morning. I feel loved. Unafraid of my dreams. Not worried about the next night. About another dream. I feel safe. I wake up early, and get up to see if Raph is awake already like he usually is. As I get to the bottom of the stairs, I hear him in the dojo as I thought I would.

I know it's him because no one else is ever up this early working that hard. I go in to see him going at his punching bag. No surprise there. I walk in and lean against the wall to watch. After a few more minutes, he stops and walks over to me.

I shake my head and he grins. "I was bored and couldn't sleep."

"Obviously," I answer.

He laughs but he can see something is on my mind. Again, with the same frequency stuff. See what I mean. The others wouldn't have known. It's sometimes a little freaky. But this time I'm glad. "What's up?" he asks.

I think to myself, trying to think of the right words. When I can't, I just start talking and hope he understands what I'm asking. "Why did you come in to my room last night? Why did you stay with me?"

Raph seems to know why I don't understand. Again. Very freaky. The question startles him for a second, but then he smiles. "I will always take care of you. I don't like seeing you cry. Do you have any idea of how horribly heartbreaking that is? You aren't alone anymore Lee. You have someone to protect you. Someone to go to when you're upset."

As reality hits, I almost start to cry. I'm not alone anymore. I have a family who wants to take care of me. Who loves me. Raph opens his arms when he sees the tears forming in my eyes. I immediately hug him. He wraps his arms around me.

He sits down and pulls me into his lap. I lean into his chest and cry, his arms moving up to go around my shoulders. "I love you Lee. You're like our sister now." He lays his head on mine and tightens his arms around me. "You won't be lonely anymore Lee. I promise. You won't be lonely."


	6. Lyrics

**here's the song i was listening to when i thought of this. I rememberd the part i had wrote in** Things Left Unsaid** as a memory and decided to do a short story to explain some of that. so um.. yeah. I am a total freak. another song by Stryper.**

**You won't be lonely**

Won't you open up your heart and let me come inside.  
Please let the loving start to climb.  
I know you may, may wonder why I've come to hold you tight.  
I don't want you to cry tonight.  
I will take you in my arms and sing your favorite song.  
As I tell you of your charms all night long.  
You've been hurt over again, with all my love I say I am  
Holding out my hand.

(Chorus)  
You won't be lonely anymore.  
You won't be lonely anymore.  
For so long you've been in rain, but now you're warm and dry.  
You've been through all the pain and now it's blue skies.  
You'll be happy and secure as long as you are mine and as  
Long as I am yours.

(Chorus)

Won't you open up your heart and let me come inside.  
Please let the loving start to climb.  
I will take you in my arms and I will hold you tight.  
You won't be lonely tonight.


End file.
